Guanajuato & San Miguel Arcángel Cultural Tour

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, Mexico--Guanajuato, Mexico⌄

   Depart Mexico City early in the morning and arrive in San Miguel, a World Heritage Site, around noon. Its outstanding Mexican Baroque religious and civic architecture has become a favorite destination for art lovers, the most famous of which is the Pink Church. Arriving in Guanajuato in the afternoon, after checking in at the hotel, we will proceed to Monumento al Pipila, which is the most worthy and must-see attraction in Guanajuato, standing on the top of the hill and looking at all of Guanajuato from afar, the scenery in front of you can't help but amaze you, just like a painter accidentally spilling all kinds of paints and creating a masterpiece. Itinerary: Mexico City → San Miguel → Pink Church Plaza (30 min) → Guanajuato → Hotel check-in → Monumento al Pipila (45 min)

   Pink Church Plaza San Miguel's most famous sight is its parish church, characterized by its pink 'wedding cake' towers that soar above the town. These strange pinnacles were designed by indigenous stonemason Zeferino Gutiérrez in the late 19th century. He reputedly based the design on a postcard of a Belgian church and instructed builders by scratching plans in the sand with a stick. The rest of the church dates from the late 17th century.

   Monumento al Pipila Located in Guanajuato, this observation deck offers a commanding view of the city, offering a breathtaking view of the city's main buildings. Rows of Spanish colonial-era and Central American-style colorful houses intertwine, and buildings of varying shapes and colors fill the valley floor and hillsides, extending into the surrounding mountains.

   Meals: Lunch: Special lunch included · Breakfast

   Overnight: Hotel：Holiday Inn Express Guanajuato, an IHG Hotel; similar

2. 2Guanajuato, Mexic--Mexico City⌄

   After breakfast, you will be taken on a tour of the World Heritage town of Guanajuato. The whole town is connected by underground tunnels, which were once mines and are now underground roads. Above ground, the town is a typical European colonial style town, but it is also a famous art city in Mexico. Many famous painters, sculptors, and potters have been trained at the San Miguel Academy of Fine Arts, which has created this colorful town. Itinerary: Guanajuato City Tour (180 minutes, including Union Gardens, Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato, Juarez Theater, Kissing Alley, Traditional Market of Hidalgo, University of Guanajuato) → Mexico City

   Kissing Alley Callejón del Beso Tucked away behind the Plaza de Los Angeles, the skinny gap between buildings that has come to be known as El Callejon del Beso, or the Alley of the Kiss, is not greatly different from a number of other tight alleyways throughout the packed city. It is a sloping passage that only has room for one or two people standing shoulder to shoulder between the towering orange buildings on either side. Overhead, window ledges and small plant boxes dangle, making for a rather lovely urban gorge.

   Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato The attractive orange-yellow Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guanajuato contains a jewel-covered image of the Virgin, patron of Guanajuato. The wooden statue was supposedly hidden from the Moors in a cave in Spain for 800 years. Felipe II of Spain gave it to Guanajuato in thanks for the wealth it provided to the crown. Next door, the small Galería Mariana is dedicated to images of Mary and other Catholic relics.

   University of Guanajuato Guanajuato, since the early years of the Spanish colonization of Mexico, has always been a center of education and study. Guanajuato is a young lively city that has a vibrant social atmosphere and these characteristics originated from the large student population which attends the renowned university. The main campus building of Guanajuato University is a block to the north from the Basilica of Guanajuato and here students can be found all day loitering on the many steps to the main entrance waiting for lessons.

   Meals: Lunch: Special lunch included